Polishing apparatus



May 13, 1930;

G. L. MATTHEWS POLISHING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed 001;. 4, 1926 I 721267LZ577 Z/ZgJ/7QZZ7Z6J05 May 13, 1930. G. MATTHEWS 1,753,006

POLISHING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 13, 1930. G. L. MATTHEWS 1,758,005

POLISHING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 13, 1930 TENT OFFICE.

GUY If. MATTHEWS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY Ir. DIEHL POLISHING APPARATUS Application filed October 4, 1926. Serial No. 139,544.

My invention relates broadly to polishing apparatus and particularly to apparatus for polishing gut.

The invention has among its other objects the production of apparatus of the kind described which is convenient, durable, efiicient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

A particular object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus of the kind described which is particularly adapted to be employed in connection with other apparatus upon which the gut is strung while it is being dried.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus of the kind described comprising a plurality of rela tively small units which can be easily handled. I

Still another particular and primary object of the invention is to provide an improved drive for apparatus of the kind de scribed.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. l is a plan view of apparatus embodying the invention, the apparatus being shown in connection with posts between which the gut is arranged during the drying operation;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the string supporting units.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line Fig. l; i v

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 3; ,1 Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6===6 of Fig-7 is a vertical section through the abrading tool unit.

Fig. 8 is asection taken on line 88 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-49 of Fig. 7.

Before describing my improved apparatus in detail, it may be well to mention that it is particularly adapted to be employed in connection with other apparatus upon which the gut is arranged prior to the twisting operation, it being understood that in most in stances the gut is twisted before it is polished. In my copending application, Serial No. 139,545, filed October 4, 1926, I have disclosed improved means for twisting gut, the improved twisting means being particularly adapted to be used in connection with spaced posts having pegs between which the gut is strung. Thus as I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 spaced posts 64 and 65 are provided having pegs 66 projecting therefrom upon which pegs the gut 67 is strung, each strand of gut having loops 69 of twine or the equivalent secured to itsends for engagement with the pegs 66. It will be noted that each peg 66 upon each post 65 is disposed opposite a peg 66 upon the post 64, the pegs being arranged in pairs. In practice, I have found it advantageous to string a plurality of strands of gut between each pair of pegs 66 to obviate the necessity of providing an exceedingly large number of posts 64 and 65. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention I preferably string eighteen strands of gut between each pair of pegs as the polishing apparatus is arranged to polish eighteen strands of gut simultaneously.

The posts 64 and 65 may be spaced any desired distance apart. In practice, a plurality of pairs of posts 64 and 65 are preferably provided, the spacing of the posts being varied to accommodate the various lengths of guts. However, it is to be understood that in some instances two or more strands of gut are united end to end to form a single strand which is strung between a pair of posts 64 and 65. In practice, the gut is preferably arranged upon the pegs 66 and twisted in the d scri d in the th re menti n d 20 pending application, after which the gut is again arranged upon the pegs until it has become sufiiciently dry to be subjected to the polishing operation. The posts may be provided with holes 66 adapted to receive the pins 66 so that the pins may be adjusted to take care of guts of clifierent lengths.

My improved polishing apparatus preferably comprises a. plurality of substantially identically formed units or machines 10, each of which in this instance comprises an angle iron frame 11 supported upon casters 12 which permit the machines to be quickly and easily moved into any desired positions relative to the posts 64 and 65. Mounted upon a platform 13 provided in each frame 11 is a synchronous electrical motor 14 having a sprocket 15 secured to its shaft. Each sprocket 15 is operatively connected by a sprocket chain 16 to a sprocket 17 secured upon a shaft 18 rotatably journaled in the frame (see Fig. 6). I preferably provide ball bear ings 19 in each of the frames 11 to journal the shafts 18, the ball bearings 19 being preferably mounted in wood blocks 21 to deaden the noise attending the operation of the machines. It will be noted that each shaft 18 terminates in a hook 23 adapted to engage the loops 69 secured to the gut. Rotatably journaled in each of the machines 10 are a. plurality of relatively short shafts 24 which are arranged parallel to the shaft 18. The shafts 24 are preferably journaled in the frames 11 in the same manner as the shafts 18. Each of the shafts 24 is provided with a gear 26 which meshes with the gear 26 provided upon the adjacent shaft 24, the gears 26 nearest the shafts 18 being arranged to mesh with gears 27 secured to the shafts 18. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the gears 26 and 27 are of substantially the same size so that the shafts 24 and 18 will revolve at substantially the same speed. It is, of course, understood that alternate shafts will be driven in the same direction and adjacent shafts will be driven in the opposite direction, but it will also be understood that all the shafts may be made to revolve in the same direction if it is so desired. Each of the shafts 24 terminates in a hook engageable with the loops 69 provided upon the gut 67.

Each of the frames 11 comprises means for engaging one of the posts 64 and 65. Thus, as best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, each frame 11 comprises spaced angle bars 27? and 28 which form a slot 29 adapted to accommodate one of the posts. Disposed intermediate the angle irons 27 a and 28 are transverse bars 30 and 31 in which a rod 32 is mounted, the rod being rotatably mounted in the bar 30 and being screw-threaded through the bar 31. A disc 34 is carried by the inner end of each rod 82 and is adapted to engage the post with which the machine is associated. The outer end of each bar 32 is provided with a handle 36 whereby the rod may be rotated to bring the disc 34 into engagement with the post.

The polishing means may comprise a roll 40 having a cover 41 of any suitable abrasive material, such as sandpaper or the equivalent. The roll 40 is carried by a shaft 42 rotatably journaled in a housing 44, the shaft being provided with a gear 45 which meshes with a pinion 46 secured to the shaft 47 of an electrical motor 48. Obviously, when the motor 48 is connected to av suitable source (not shown) of electrical energy, the roll 40 will be rotated. The housing 44 may be provided with a handle 50 whereby the roll, the housing and the motor can be handled or manipulated as a unit. Of course, any other suitable polishing device may be employed in place of that described if it is so desired.

The polishing device shown in the drawings is preferably provided with a plurality of spacing members or pins 44 which project downward from the housing 44 and are adapted to hold the several strands of gut spaced from each other and to guide the device along the strands during the polishing operation.

The operation of the above described apparatusis substantially as follows: Assuming that a plurality of strands of gut are strung between the pegs 66 of the posts 64 and 65 and that these strands have previously been twisted and dried, the machines 10 are brought into positions relative to the posts wherein they are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It may be well to mention at this point that while the machines are substantially iden tical, they are made in rights and lofts so that they may be arranged in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be noted that the hooks 23 and 25 are substantially aligned with the pegs 66 and that the disc 84 carried by the rods 32 have been brought into engagement with the posts 64 and 65 to maintain the machines 10 in spaced relation. Now assuming that each pair of pegs 66 carried 18 strands of gut, it is readily understood that the strands associated with any pair of pegs may be removed therefrom and strung between the hooks carried by the two machines 10, one strand of gut being strung between each pair of aligned hooks 23 or The polishing unit which, in this instance, comprises the roll 40, the housing 44 and the electrical motor 48 is then positioned upon the strands of gut in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and the synchronous electrical motors 14 are connected to any suitable source of electrical energy to have them rotate around their longitudinal axes in such manner that they will not tend to twist in either direction. It is obvious to those well skilled in the art that this condition will. obtain as the motors 14 will make substantially the same number of revolutions per minute and the gearing associated with one machine 10 is substantially identical with the gearing associated with the other machine 10. The electrical motor is then connected to any suitable source of electrical energy so that the roll 40 will be rotated and the operator grasps the handle and moves the polishing unit along the strands of gut from one end thereof to the other. The operator, of course, can determine by the appearance of the gut when it has been sufiiciently polished. The motors l4 and 48 are then disconnected from the source of electrical energy and the polishing unit is removed from the strands of gut which may then be arranged again upon the pair of pegs 66 or may be transferred to other apparatus, or packed, as the case may be.

After all of the strands of gut associated with a pair of posts 64 and 65 have been golished, the machines 10 may be transferred to another set of posts 64 and 65 and employed to polish the gut carried by said posts. This is advantageous as it negatives the necessity of carrying the gut from various posts to some remote part of the room in which the machines might be positioned.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to v the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Polishing apparatus comprising a pair of portable frames, means rotatably mounted in the frames for securing a strand of material therebetween, a plurality of synchronous electrical motors, one of said motors being mounted in each of said frames and being operatively connected to said rotatably mounted means in the frame, and means engageable with said strand for polishing it.

2. Polishing apparatus comprising a pair of portable frames, a plurality of strand engaging means rotatably mounted in each of said frames and adapted to be aligned with the strand engaging means in the other frame,

a synchronous electrical motor mounted in each frame for rotating said strand engaging means in unison with the strand engaging means of the other frame, and means engageable with said strand for polishing it.

3. Polishing apparatus comprising a pair of portable frames, a plurality of strand engaging means rotatably mounted in each of said frames and adapted to be aligned with the strand engaging means in the other frame,-

means for fixedly maintaining said frames in spaced relation to each other and a synchronous electrical motor mounted in each frame for rotating said strand engaging means in unison with the strand engaging means of the other frame, and power driven means movable independently of said frames and engageable with the strands for polishing them.

4'. Polishing apparatus of the kind described comprising a pair of relatively movable units, each of said units comprising a portable frame, a synchronous electrical motor mounted in the frame, a plurality of rotatably journaled members adapted to be secured to strands arranged between the frames, means positively connecting said motor to said members, and means engageable with said strands for polishing them.

5. Polishing apparatus comprising a pair of portable frames, means rotatably mounted in the frames for securing a strand of material therebetween, a plurality of motors capable of being synchronized, one of said motors being mounted in each of said frames and being operatively connected to said rotatable means in the frame, and means engageable with said strand for polishing it.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

GUY L. MATTHEWS. 

